To Train Up a Child...

This is the summer for learning new things and couple of weeks ago it was learning to ride a bike. Brooklyn received a new bike for her birthday and Brittan got his for successfully conquering potty training. By that I mean, we stay dry all night as well, as no accidents during the day, within reason. (the 5 hour drive to my parents could prove to be a challenge, but last week we did make it there accident free! There are several long stretches in there that have no bathroom stops. YIKES!!)Anyway, after trying every bribe and disciplinary action in the book, and finding that nothing was really getting the exact results that we were seeking, when he asked for a bike like Brooklyn's we realized that we had indeed found the right source for the desired action! Brittan now has his bike and the rest is history.

Where we live out in the counrty, there are no paved roads or sidewalks for the kids to try ride their bikes on, so I have to pull the car out of the garage and let them 'ride' in there, but that isn't really fun, nor do you have enough space to really ride. With this in mind, and the with the weather cooling off a bit, we headed down to the local bike path to try to perfect their bike riding skills. This was definitely a first for them both, but much more so for Brittan since Brooklyn had "ridden" around in the garage. Brooklyn took off with no problem, yes, training wheels still in tact, but cut her some slack, this was really the first time for her to have space to ride and you have to get the whole balance things down first.:) Brittan didn't do too bad either, although he did tire after only about 5 minutes and we were planning on riding for a good while for Brooklyn's sake. Mommy resorted to pushing and everyone was happy. We returned the next evening with Daddy in tow and he was greatly impressed by both of our little riders.

Riding bikes is a favorite pastime of ours, so we want to make sure that our children get the necessary basics down before we take them out on a long ride, or remove their training wheels. This may take us the rest of the summer, but by next Spring we are hoping that they are indeed ready.

With all this different 'training' going on at our house, it has made me stop and wonder if I am training my children well in the things of life that really matter. I so want for them to grow up knowing, and having a deep relationship, with Christ. I want them to grasp the the knowledge that He is their very dearest friend, the One that they can count on no matter the situation, the One that loves and will always love them unconditionally, the One that cares for and about them more than any other living person on earth, and I want them to see Him in my life. I want them to grow up grasping the truth that Christ was/is the center of our home. So, besides our normal family devotions, meal time prayers, my own devotions, etc., I have been talking to them about the reality of having Jesus in our hearts. When they do something that I don't approve of, I have been trying to teach them that that makes Jesus sad, or that people that have Jesus in their heart don't act that way and so on. Well, Brooklyn a few years ago asked Christ into her heart and she would tell different ones in our family that, "Jesus lives in my heart and if I run fast you can hear Him in there." It was an adorable thing to say and yes, I did write it down. From that time on she has been sensitive about spiritual things and I love that!! In the last couple of weeks Brittan has started to tune is as well and he has made several comments about "Jesus living in my howt (heart)." In fact, it has become a daily topic of discussion with him and I have so enjoyed hearing what he has to say about it all and the last two mornings it has been the first thing out of his mouth when I have gotten him out of his bed. So to top it off, last night, after Brooklyn was in bed and asleep, Brook put Brittan in our bed in hopes that he would fall asleep before we headed there ourselves and then we could just move him into his own room. Well, that was not to be and thinking over it again this morning, I think that God had a blessing in store for us that was not what we had planned. We all three laid there in bed and Brittn began talking about many different things that had happened during the day. I let him go on for a few minutes and then told him that it was time to stop talking and to go to sleep. He laid there for a couple of minutes and then started in, "Jesus lives in my howt. I forgot to kiss Him doodnight." (he sits up, pulls up his shirt and attempts to kiss his stomach and then lays back down) "Jesus needs to go to sleep,(a little pause) him is getting a bath." He began to pat his tummy and then said, "Him is asleep now," "He has his flashlight on so it won't be dawrk" (the moon). And soon he was asleep. As I laid there, I couldn't help but think that God must be smiling. To have the view of God that a child does would be so totally amazing!! I plan on continuing to teach my children the best that I know how, but at the same time, realize that I can learn so much more from them.


Brooklyn was so happy to finally have plenty of place to ride.


Brittan didn't venture to far away from Mommy.


My 2 happy bikers after a nice long ride!:):)